Victory Chronicles
-DAY 503

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence confirms assassination of Russian commander involved in attacks on Ukraine: No witnesses to murder

Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has confirmed that Stanislav Rzhitskiy, the former commander of the Krasnodar submarine of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, involved in missile attacks on Ukraine, has been shot dead in the Russian city of Krasnodar.

“On 10 July, the submariner was jogging in Krasnodar’s 30th Anniversary of Victory Park. He was shot seven times with a Makarov pistol around 06:00. Rzhitskiy died on the spot due to his gunshot wounds. The park was deserted due to heavy rain, so no witnesses could provide details or identify the gunman.” reported Press service of the DIU.

The Krasnodar is one of six Varshavyanka-class submarines that are part of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy. Each of them has the capacity to carry up to four Kalibr cruise missiles. Captain 2nd Rank Rzhitskiy had been living in Sevastopol since at least 2006. For some time, he was the commander of the submarine Alrosa. After Alrosa was sent for modernization, he was appointed commander of Krasnodar.

Latest news

• Military aid for Ukraine: France will hand over long-range SCALP missiles to Ukraine
• Food crisis: Russian Shahed drones attack Odesa port, damaging grain terminal
• General Staff: Russian troops lost another 540 soldiers and dozens of pieces of equipment killed in Ukraine
• Russia’s air attacks: Air defense shot down 26 of 28 Shahed kamikaze drones at night, and a helicopter at the front
• UK Defense Ministry: Moscow construction workers coerced into military service in Ukraine

Symbolic number of the Day - 26

Russian invaders launched 28 Shahed kamikaze drones across Ukraine on the night of 10-11 July, 26 of which were shot down by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. “The Russian invaders attacked Ukraine from the southeast (Primorsko-Akhtarsk) on the night of 10-11 July with Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 attack drones. In total, 28 kamikaze drones were involved in the strike… 26 assault UAVs and one Zala reconnaissance drone were destroyed,” reported The Air Force Command of Ukraine.

War in Pictures

The first female defender to complete the Q-course of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine. The Command of Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this. “Today, during the graduation ceremony of the Special Operations Forces Qualification Course, “number 68” received a Special Operations patch. Number 68 is the first female servicewoman to complete the several-month Q-course of the Special Operations Forces. She will be assigned to one of the military units and will be working hard to bring Ukraine’s victory closer.”

Video of the Day

Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, told Reuters that Wagner fighters reached a Russian nuclear base called Voronezh-45 during their mutiny to acquire small Soviet-era nuclear devices to raise the stakes.

ISW report

Ukrainian officials stated on July 10 that Ukrainian forces have fire control over Bakhmut and Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) around the city. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar stated that Ukrainian forces have taken control of unspecified heights around Bakhmut, allowing Ukrainian forces to establish fire control over Bakhmut itself.

Ukrainian officials have recently signaled that Ukraine seeks to trap Russian forces within the city, and it appears that Ukrainian operations in the Bakhmut area in recent days have been intended to slowly envelop Russian troops in Bakhmut and on its flanks. ISW was previously conservative when assessing claims of Russian fire control and general interdiction of Ukrainian lines of communication in and around Bakhmut as Russian forces gradually took control of the settlement, but Ukrainian claims of establishing fire control may be more credible. 

Both Ukrainian and Russian sources have indicated in recent days that Ukraine is gaining ground in the Bakhmut area and on its southwestern flanks including specific terrain features that can give Ukrainian forces fire advantage. The fear of Ukrainian fire control and imminent threats to Bakhmut is also permeating the Russian information space, and Russian milbloggers have repeatedly expressed fear over Ukrainian forces encircling Russian forces in Bakhmut.

War Heroes

Natalia Depa, a combat medic with the 218th separate battalion of the 125th brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was killed in action in Ukraine. The woman was killed in the combat zone while performing her duties as a combat medic of the battalion. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, she volunteered with her father and brother for the front. In civilian life prior, Natalia owned a cosmetology and laser hair removal center. 

Natalia was actively involved in volunteering. On her page, she announced fundraisers for the needs of doctors and the military and bought Mavic drones and other necessary things for the front.